A restaurant owner who was fined £30,000 for employing illegal immigrants has applied for a new licence so he can re-open the venue.

Immigration officers raided Shimla Palace, in Wolseley Bridge, near Stafford , back in 2016 and found three men hiding on the premises. A fourth man jumped out of a window and ran along a dual carriageway to escape.

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In a letter to the licensing department, PC Dave Evans said: “There is substantial evidence to support the fact that all four of the licensing objectives – namely the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance, and the protection of children – cannot be met at this time.”

He described the immigration case as particularly serious.

Illegal immigrants had also been discovered working at another premises owned by the applicant – Bilash in Rugeley – and that venue also had its licence revoked.